Fountain-sponge



G. F. STRIEFF.

FOUNTAIN SPONGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 20. 1920.

' Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ozone: r. s'rmm'r, or warnn'rown, NEW YORK.

rounmam-sronom' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921..

Application fl1ed.8epte1 nber 20, 1920. Serial No. 411,481"

To all whom z'tjmag concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. STRIEFF, of \Vatertown, in the county of Jefferson, in the-State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fountain- Sponges, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying draw- S, is a full, clear, and. exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fountain sponges in which a sponge,

of suitable proportions is secured over and upon a suitable nozzle so as to entirely surround and conceal the same, the nozzle being attached to a flexible hose which serves as a handle for manipulating the sponge over and upon the part to be cleaned, and also serves as a means of connection to a source of water supply whereby water may be conducted to the sponge in such quantities as may be necessary to moisten the same through suitable openings in the nozzle.

The device is adapted to be used more particularly for cleaning automobile parts, many of which are difiioult of access and are more easily and thoroughly cleansed by a wet sponge than by brushes, felt or fabric wipers by reason of its highly absorptive characteristics and ability to conform to different contours without liability of bringing any of the metal parts into contact with the parts to be washed.

The main object is to combine the sponge and nozzle in such manner that the nozzle will be entirely inclosed Within the sponge and firmly attached thereto without liability of exposing any of the metal parts to contact with the surfaces over which the sponge is moved for cleansing purposes.

Another object is to permit the use of relatively small sponges or sections thereof and to stitch those sections to ether by fiber stitching either before or after their application to the nozzle so as to further reduce the liabilityof any metal parts appearing at or near the surface of the sponge.

A further object is to provide means whereby the main body of the sponge may be secured to the nozzle by fiber stitches for additional securement against contact of any parts of the nozzle with the surfaces to be cleaned.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description.

" In the drawings,

gigure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, an

Fig.- 2 isa transverse sectional view of a fountain sponge embodying the various features of my invention.

Fig. 3 is an .end view of the detached nozzle.

. Fig. 4 is the opposite end view of the nozzle. I

As illustrated, this device comprises a tapered metal nozzle lhaving a central lengthwise passage -2 and a series of radial branch passages 3' leading from the central passage -2- through the pe-.

ripheral walls of the nozzle for conducting the washing fluid, as water, to the surroundin sponge, as 4.

7 he central passage -1-.- is open at the large end of the nozzle, While the smaller end is closed at 5- and is adapted to receive a relatively lar e washer 6-, which is slidable endwise t ereon and constitutes a clamping head for holdin the spon e against outward endwise disp acement, t e washer -6 being held in place by any suitable fastening means as a cotter ke 7 passed through an aperture in the a jacent end of the nozzle just at the outside of the washer.

The larger or inlet end of the nozzle is also provided with a head 8 forming a shoulder against which the inner end of the sponge 4 abuts, said head 8 provided with a plurality of, in this instance three, lugs 9 projecting radially from the periphery thereof in uniformly spaced relation circumferentially. and enlarged at their outer ends to form relatively narrow necks 10- around which the adjacent end of the sponge may be fastened by fiber stitches -11- of cord, strong thread or equivalent material.

The tubular head -8 is threaded internally for receiving a coupling 12 by which the nozzle may be attached to a flexible hose 13, the latter serving as a handle by which the nozzle with the sponge thereon may be manipulated over the surface or surfaces to be cleansed.

The sponge -4 preferably consists of a main body portion 14- and an outer end portion 15, the main body portion serving to surround the entire periphery of the nozzle 1 from end to end, while the outer end portion 15 covers the entire outer end of the nozzle and is stitched to the adjacent end of the main body '-14- by liberstiti-hes -16 of cord, stout thread or equivalent material, thereby forming with the main body a substantially unitary structure having highly absorptive and moisture retentive. characteristics which are not present in brushes, felt and analogous cleansers.

()wing to.the fact; that the nozzle is tapered toward its outer end and that the tapered end is relatively small, it may be readily forced through the pores of the main sponge body -1.l---' along the center thereof without disintegrating said body, thereby permitting 'the sponge to be used in its natural state with all of its characteristic powers of absorption and toughness unimpaired, while the outer portion -15-- may also be used in its natural state and applied by the stitching --15'- to the main body -l-l so that the sponge parts surround and entirely conceal the nozzle and enable the sponge to'be used for cleaning the most delicate surfaces without liability of being injured by contact with the metal of the nozzle.

The lugs 9 extend outwardly some distance beyond the periphery of the head -8 and adjacent end of the holes -13, which permits the corresponding end of the sponge to be drawn'around and under the lugs and adjacent end of the head -8- when stitching the same to the lugs to additionally protect the part to be cleaned against contact with the metal parts of the nozzle.

The outer end head or washer 6- engages the outer end of the main body of the sponge '14 to clamp the same between it and the head 8 while the intervening portion fits closely around the main body of the nozzle between the heads, thereby assuring a permanent securement of the nozzle and sponge to each other in addition to the securement afforded by the threads 11-.

After the main body -14.- of the sponge is secured in place in the manner just desc-ribed, the outer end portion 15- may be secured to the corresponding end of the main body by the stitches 16, thereby forming with the main body a sponge housing for the nozzle to entirely conceal the same and prevent it from coming in contact with the surfaces to be cleaned.

It is now obvious that when the water or other cleansing fluid is admitted through the hose 13 into the nozzle 1, it will pass out through the branch openings 3 to the sponge, thereby moistening the latter to any degree which may be desired, and, if necessary, as soon as the sponge'is properly moistened, the water may be shut 01f, there by conserving the same without serious detriment to 'thecleansing operation of the sponge.

Another advantage is that when the water is turned on, it passes from the inside upwardly and thereby removes any dirt or other loose matter which may accumulate upon the surfaces or in the adjacent interstices thereof, and in all cases, it is only necessary to supply a relatively small quantity of moisture at a time because of the absorptive characteristics of thesponge, whereas in the use of a brush or fabric, it would be. almost imperative to keep the water flowing all of the time.

I have described the main body -14- as preferably made in a single sponge, but it is evident that it may be made up of a series of layers clamped together between the end heads 6- and 8--, or, if necessary,

stitched together around their marginal edges in the manner similar to the stitches -14 and 15--. Therefore, I do not wish tolimit myself to the particular construction shown and described.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A fountain sponge comprising a tapered nozzle having a central lengthwise passage open at the larger end and closed at the smaller end of the nozzle, said nozzle having devices at both ends for attachment to a sponge, the larger end having means for attachment to a flexible hose, a sponge sec tion surrounding the nozzle and having both ends secured to the adjacent attaching devices, and an additional sponge section covering the attaching device at the smaller end of the nozzle and stitched to the first named sponge section.

2. A fountain sponge comprising a nozzle having its end opposite the inlet end closed and its inlet end provided with a series of outwardly projecting lugs, a sponge section surrounding the nozzle and having one end stitched around said lugs, a washer clamped to the small end of the nozzle and engaging the adjacent end of the sponge, and an additional sponge section covering the washer and adjacent end of the nozzle and stitched to the first named section. V

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September 1990.

GEO. F. STRIEFF. lVitnesses T. H. LYNCH, Donn K. GLEAsoN. 

